Biden Praising Trump on Gaza Hostages, Mixed Reaction

More from the article ...

... The release of Israeli hostages in Gaza following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire marks one of the biggest diplomatic developments in the Middle East since the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Biden's comments"along with other Democrats' reactions or silence"regarding Trump's role in brokering the agreement have highlighted ongoing partisan divides in the U.S., as well as the complexity of American leadership in international conflict.

The deal brings relief to hostage families but opens a new round of political discussion in Washington as the country reassesses its influence and responsibilities in the region. ...

Taking to X to note the historic moment, Biden said: "I am deeply grateful and relieved that this day has come " for the last living 20 hostages who have been through unimaginable hell and are finally reunited with their families and loved ones, and for the civilians in Gaza who have experienced immeasurable loss and will finally get the chance to rebuild their lives.

"The road to this deal was not easy. My Administration worked relentlessly to bring hostages home, get relief to Palestinian civilians, and end the war. I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line. Now, with the backing of the United States and the world, the Middle East is on a path to peace that I hope endures and a future for Israelis and Palestinians alike with equal measures of peace, dignity, and safety." ...

@#2 ... Not gonna happen. ...

At this point, even the easy part (~step 1 of how many~) looks to be shaky.

And step 1 was the easy part.

I do agree.

A lasting peace here is going to be an arduous path, requiring a vision.

Will Pres Trump be able to step up and meet that task before him?

Honestly, I hope so. I want a real, sustainable peace in the Middle East.

I want peace.

It is why I protested against the Vietnam War back in the day.

... and, fwiw ...

Gaza war hostage crisis
en.wikipedia.org

...As part of the October 7 attacks which initiated the Gaza war, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups abducted 251 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip,[2][3][4] including children,[5] women, and elderly people.[6][7]

Almost half of the hostages were foreign nationals or had multiple citizenships,[8] and some hostages were Negev Bedouins.[9] The captives were likely held in different locations in the Gaza Strip.[10]

168 hostages were returned alive to Israel, with 105 released in the 2023 Gaza war ceasefire, five released by Hamas outside the framework of any ceasefire agreement, eight rescued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), 30 released during the January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire[11][12][13] and 20 released under the Gaza peace plan.

The bodies of 70 hostages were repatriated to Israel, with three of the hostages killed by friendly fire after escaping captivity and being mistaken for enemy fighters by IDF troops,[14][15] the bodies of 47 other hostages repatriated through military operations,[a][16][17] eight returned in the January 2025 prisoner exchange deal and 12 returned under the Gaza peace plan.[18]

According to Israel, 75 hostages were killed on 7 October 2023 or in Hamas captivity.[a][19][20][21] As of 18 October 2025, the bodies of 16 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip.[22] ...

@#4 ... 168 hostages were returned alive to Israel, with 105 released in the 2023 Gaza war ceasefire, ...

2023, so the Biden administration?

@#6 ... He has the attention span of a gnat... ...

I tried hard to try to disagree, but I cannot.

It reminds me of that great TV series, "West Wing."

In that series the President would ask, "what's next?" after actually resolving a problem or issue.

I have the DVDs of that series and, during the Trump reigns, I try to watch the series once a year to help me understand how the Oval Office should work.

@#8 ... Sorkin is brilliant, albeit a bit "preachy". ...

I do not disagree.

And then there seems to remain the question of whether or not Mr Sorkin was high on cocaine as he wrote the first few seasons of West Wing.

But that aside, imo, The West Wing is a classic.

@#10 ... It is. I think Sorkin only wrote the first 4 seasons?...

That is my understanding as well.

But the characters were so well developed that the subsequent writers could carry them forward.

An interesting tidbit ...

Lawrence O'Donnell
en.wikipedia.org

... Lawrence Francis O'Donnell Jr. (born November 7, 1951)[1] is an American television anchor, actor, author, screenwriter, liberal political commentator, and host of The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, an MSNBC opinion and news program that airs on weeknights.[2]

He was a writer and producer for the NBC series The West Wing (playing the role of President Bartlet's father in flashbacks) ...

@#12 ... An international arrest warrant issued by the ICC remains active for Benjamin Netanyahu. ...

Yeah.

Some have said that he intentionally seems to be prolonging the current war in order to stave off his accountability for the charges against him. I have cited articles about that on this most august website.